Rules For Dating My Wife
by JennieJoy72
Summary: In response to the Valentine challenge from Lanie. I would like to also thank Lanie very much for helping with not only the title, but also some of my sweet run-ons. Any new mistakes are mine from my own editing. I hope you enjoy. PS: If I didn't post now I would have forgotten to.


I am throwing my hat and heart into this Valentine challenge from Lanie. I hope everyone enjoys. Let me know, Happy Valentine Day. I would like to thank Lanie for issuing the challenge as well as helping with my mistakes.

 **Rules for Dating My Wife**

"Happy Valentine's Day," muttered a disgruntled Jamie as he listened to the message on the answering machine from his mom.

 _'Boys, I have a late meeting this afternoon. I'll be home as soon as I can, be sure to have your homework done. I love you both.'_

"Great! That's just great. Now what am I going to do?" Jamie complained out loud, not realizing he wasn't alone.

"Do about what, Champ?" Lee said as he walked from the laundry room with a basket in hand.

Jamie jumped slightly as he turned to see his stepfather of two years standing behind him. "I wish you wouldn't do that, it's creepy."

Shrugging it off Lee said, "I know, I know, your mom tells me the same thing. I am just a very light walker. Chalk it up to occupational hazards. What's wrong? I thought I heard your mom."

"It was on the machine. She has a late afternoon meeting and will be home as soon as she can. I thought her late meetings were with you for alone time."

"Well, as you can see, that isn't the case. So is there anything I can help you with?" Lee asked while Jamie watched while Lee attempted to fold the bath towels like Amanda and Dotty.

"Why don't we help each other because whatever you are doing is wrong and if mom or grandma finds out, somehow we both will get it?"

"It is a towel. How can you possibly fold it wrong?" Lee asked.

"You have been married to mom what...two years yesterday? You have lived in this house for the last eighteen months of those two years and you still haven't figured out how to fold the towels right? Something tells me you don't really pay attention around here."

"I'm a slow domestic learner. Your mother would still redo it even if I did do it right because she wouldn't believe I did it in the first place. Now, what is your problem since we have seemed to have narrowed mine down?"

"Well, my problem is kind of hard to explain, at least to you." Jamie said as he picked up another towel Lee had just folded to refold it.

Throwing his hands in the air Lee said, "I surrender the towels to you and your masterful work, now let me fix your problem. How can I help you?"

"Can you stay away from the house tonight?" Jamie asked stronger than intended.

"I didn't mean it that way. I, well, you see, Grandma is out of town with her boyfriend. Phillip is at the school decorating then going to the dance. You went out with mom last night for your anniversary. I just want to spend some time with Mom alone for a while. She has been working really hard lately, both of you have only I actually see you more than her. I like the time we spend together and all but it just it isn't Mom. Does that make sense?"

Lee leaned forward and took the towel out of Jamie's hand saying, "I completely understand. I can help out a lot, but you have to trust me and no, I am not leaving the house tonight."

"Lee, if you stay here, doesn't that defeat my purpose?" Jamie asked.

"You said that you wanted time alone with your mother, right? I can do that without leaving the house except to get you to your mother. Now please finish the towels, take a shower, and wear one of your church suits."

Asking Lee as he stepped toward the stairs, "Do I have to wear the tie and jacket too?"

"Yes, you do." Lee instructed with a smile on his face.

Jamie went to clean up and when he came in from his shower he saw a note in Lee's handwriting. Jamie read the note and laughed. This might turn out pretty well after all, he thought as he finished tying his tie.

While Lee waited for Jamie to come down the stairs, he made his final phone call.

"Amanda Stetson, please." He waited to be connected hoping he caught her before she left.

"IFF, Amanda Stetson, can I help you?" Her voice was enough to make him smile.

"Yes, Mrs. Stetson, you can help me. I was wondering if you received a package in the last hour."

"I just walked in, let me look?" Amanda glanced around the room and then saw a garment bag placed on the couch. "Yes, it appears I have."

"Do me the honor of changing your clothes and then instead of coming home, go to Emelio's. Your next surprise awaits you there. I love you."

"I love you, too, Sweetheart." Amanda wondered if she was ever going to quit being surprised by her husband. She didn't think he would have any plans for tonight, especially after the night before when they celebrated their second wedding anniversary.

She walked to the couch and unzipped the bag to find one of her more contemporary outfits enclosed. "What is his plan?" Walking to the desk and picking up the phone, she dialed Francine's desk number.

"Francine Desmond, can I help you?" She sounded nervous.

"Hello, Francine, did Lee and I suddenly pick up a case; something undercover or a surveillance case?"

"Uh, no, I am looking at tonight's rooster and you two are off until Monday. Why? Did something happen?"

"No, just Lee keeping me on my toes again, but don't worry I have a surprise for him as well. Thanks have a great night tonight."

"Amanda, are you sure I am doing the right thing?" Francine asked.

"The way I see it, tonight will make you see him in a whole new light or finally get him to back off either way just have fun."

Amanda locked the door and began to get ready for her mysterious date night with her handsome husband. Smoothing the top over her flat stomach, just pausing a second over her abdomen, she couldn't help the bright smile she felt across her face. She had wanted to tell Lee last night but she hadn't heard from the doctor and didn't want to get his hopes up if she wasn't pregnant.

"Don't worry; he will be very happy to find out about you. He really didn't think I could have another baby after taking so long to recover from being shot two years ago. Here you are and here we go to meet up with daddy and tell him all about you."

The drive was short from the Agency to Emelio's. Amanda parked her car but before she could even get out, her door was opening with a hand being offered. She knew by the size it wasn't Lee and she knew it immediately even before she saw his face.

"Jamie, what are you doing here? Where's Lee?" Her answer came in the form of a car horn beeping at them with Lee driving away from the parking lot.

Jamie then handed her a small arraignment of lilies and said, "May I have the honor of escorting you this evening for some conversation and good food?"

Smiling she answered with a nod of her head. She wasn't sure what he was up to but she thought he was very sweet for doing it.

"This way, please." Jamie placed his hand at the small of his mother's back, guiding her toward the restaurant to open the door for her, then politely informed the maître d that the King party of two had arrived.

"Jamie, I never knew you had such wonderful connections. This place is lovely." She said while trying to control her emotions.

"Thank you, but I have to admit getting a reservation here at the last minute was tricky, but I know a guy who knows a guy." He said winking, never once noticing the shared smile between Amanda and the maître d.

Once they had arrived at their table Jamie continued to impress his mother by pulling her chair out for her and waiting for her to be settled before he took his seat. "How was your day, Mom?" He asked as they looked over the menu.

"It was a really busy day. Lee and I left early yesterday but that didn't mean the work stopped just because we did."

"Why was Lee home early then and you had to stay longer for meetings? I thought that if you were partners than you both do the work together and leave together."

"A lot of what Lee and I do, as we explained before, is as a team. Sometimes though we have to do different things on the same assignment, like today, Lee was in the field doing observations. I was in the office organizing what we have already figured out and then tomorrow we will be together with all the information to hopefully wrap up the case."

"Will it be dangerous tomorrow?" Amanda heard the concern in his voice and was happy she would be able to give him peace of mind with her answer.

"No, this case isn't like that. Most of our cases aren't dangerous, but yes every now and then they are. How was your day?" Amanda asked hoping she could figure out what Jamie was up too.

"It was like any other day except for the fact that it is Valentine's Day. Is that why you and Lee picked the day you eloped, because it was close to Valentine's Day?"

"No, Lee and I didn't even really think about the actual date. We had been dancing around the fact that we were engaged and only we knew about that. I think we just became comfortable being in that state of limbo. Then Lee started getting jealous thinking that your dad wanted me back. When actually what your dad wanted was to tell me about Carrie and him getting married. It made us pick a day, not a date. Due to a case, though, we missed our blood tests, so that put us farther back and then when we just picked a day that we knew was on a Friday. We had time to make the arrangements for us to be gone at the same time, I could get you, your brother, and grandmother set for while I was gone and Lee could find someone to feed his darn fish."

"That was when you got shot though in California." It wasn't a question but a factual statement.

She looked and saw a glimmer if fear in his eyes. She saw he was trying to hide it from her, "Jamie that was one of the scariest things that has ever happened to me. It wasn't fair that I was shot. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was on my honeymoon, Lee and I weren't even on a case. It happened though and I think all in all it was a good thing."

"Mom, how can you say that it was a good thing you were shot?" Jamie couldn't believe what she had just said and continued his questions of her, "Didn't Lee and Grandma say that you crashed or coded or something like that? Doesn't that mean you died?"

Reaching over to take his hand Amanda calmly said, "I think it proved to both Lee and I that danger can strike at any point. As much as we wanted to protect you three, if I hadn't been shot then I am not even sure when we would have told you about our marriage."

"We might even not know about Lee as your husband?" His voice didn't hide his surprise.

"That was the plan, at first. I think for me getting shot and then Lee having to come home before me, then after we got home I had all of these restrictions. Lee was being sent out of town, we were on different cases, and I was also finishing my classes up. I was beginning to feel like I was reliving my first marriage. I didn't want that again. Lee and I had a big fight and it just showed us what we both wanted. We wanted to be together just not in name only."

"Is that when you two told us about your marriage?"

"Yes, I wanted your Dad and Carrie there because I think your father suspected something anyway, but we were willing and ready to take whatever you guys let us have. We lied to all of you, even our co-workers, all for the sake of thinking we were keeping you safer. While yes we were protecting you we were making our marriage a battlefield. To be honest, we finally decided that if all of you hated us at least you would still feel something for us in the end."

"I was kind of happy that Lee didn't move in right away. I know I was the biggest jerk to him in the beginning." Jamie said as the waiter was clearing their dinner dishes and brining out dessert.

"Yeah, well, you two have come a long way since then. What was the big change for you in accepting him?"

"No, you'll just think it is silly."

"Try me." Amanda probed harder. She was still curious about this dinner and if she didn't get her full class C in she would never find out.

"He stayed. He didn't quit. He didn't push. He allowed me to get to know him at my own pace. He wasn't Dad who was _**supposed**_ to be there, he wasn't Dean who _**thought**_ he should be there, but he was just Lee showing he _**wanted**_ to be there. I am really glad he is my stepfather. I know most kids want their parents to get back together, but I never really knew or remember you and Dad together. I love that you and Dad are able to be great friends, but it is just that when I see you with Lee and Dad with Carrie, I see how much in love you really are with who you married. I see how I think love is supposed to be. Dad can't stop holding her hand and Lee is always doing something to show that he is protecting you."

"How does Lee protect me?" Amanda tilted her head in wonder and curiosity.

"When we walk down the street he is always closest to the street. He watches you as you nap on the couch. He stares at you like he can't believe you are his wife. I don't know if he even blinks at times. I guess that is an occupational hazard as well."

"Jamie, why did you do this tonight? We could have had dinner at the house."

"Well, that is what I wanted, but Lee didn't like the idea of having to leave. Lately, you have been very busy at work and I understand that the more you learn on the job the more that will be required of you. I just wanted some time with my mom, alone. If I was being completely honest, I would like at least once a month to do something like this. Well, not this fancy, pizza and bowling would be great. You get Lee at home and at work, Grandma gets you in the garden every week, and I just wanted some time without everyone around. It doesn't matter to Phillip because he is going to more school functions and dances, but I don't want to do all that yet. I still like hanging at home with you and Lee too."

"I take it Lee helped you with all of this?" She waved her hand around the table and room.

"Yes, apparently children under 18 cannot make a dinner reservation and use their stepfather's credit card to do it." When Jamie saw the look on her face he quickly continued, "Don't worry Lee said it was okay and he was even there but they wouldn't take the reservation and card from me."

"Okay, then there is just one solution to this. Once a month, no matter what, we go out and it is just me and you. How does that sound?"

"It sounds great, Mom. I love you, Happy Valentine's Day." This time when Jamie said the words out loud only joy was in them.

Amanda and Jamie came through the doors to find Lee, Leatherneck, Francine, Billy, and Beaman all gathered around the table eating cake and playing poker.

"Hey, there's my wife. How was your date?" He asked as he kissed her on the cheek.

"It was terrific but what's going on here?" Amanda settled on her husband's lap.

"Jeannie's flight from her sister's got snowed in." Billy said.

"We got a flat on the way to the restaurant; Lee saw us, picked us up and brought us here while the car service came to get the car." Francine said as she tilted her head toward Efraim.

"I was invited for pizza, beer, and poker." Leatherneck chimed in.

"Thanks for your help tonight, goodnight everyone." Jamie said turning to hug and kiss his mom before going upstairs to bed.

Amanda resettled herself with Lee at the table while the guests continued their talk on how the west was really won with gunslingers and poker. In the mist of all the laughter and conversation the six adults all took notice as the back door opened to see a starry eyed Phillip King enter the kitchen.

"How was the dance?" Lee asked before Amanda had a chance to.

"It was the best! Happy Valentine's indeed." Phillip left them with that thought as Lee and everyone but Amanda all nodded in agreement.

"Now, wait one minute, what is that look all of you have? Is that some secret spy look I haven't learned yet?" Amanda asked completely sincere in her confusion of the private joke she obviously had missed.

"Amanda, dear, Phillip had his first real kiss tonight." Lee said wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"That looked more like a second base look to me." Beaman said brining his beer to his lips and smiling at Francine.

"Oh and how would you know that?" Francine asked her date.

"Contrary to what you think of my skills, I have at least run all the bases."

"Yeah, just ask Roxanne in accounting." Lee said before he thought what was coming out of his mouth until his wife slapped his shoulder.

"I most certainly will not ask _that_ woman anything." Francine fumed for a minute before Lee couldn't help himself again stating, "So what, you are just going to find out for yourself?"

"Lee! Oh my gosh, what kind of father are you going to be if we don't get some of that sarcasm taken care of?" Amanda admonished him with her words and a look that froze the laughter instantly from all as they stared at Lee as he responded to her statement.

"I don't know I guess I will be the kind of father that, the kind of father that- Amanda am I _going_ to be a father, besides to the boys?" Lee asked in a suddenly whispered voice.

"It wasn't how I planned to tell you, but yes, yes you are going to be a father." She leaned over and kissed him gently with promises of more after their friends had all left.

"Lee, you haven't said anything. Are you okay?" Amanda began to worry he wasn't happy with the news as she thought he would be.

Shaking his head he answered her, "No, no, I am not okay." Standing with her in his arms Lee began to spin her in circles as he shouted, "I AM FANTASTIC! You have made me a very happy man, Amanda Stetson."

"Well, folks, I think this is our cue to leave." Billy said as the group at the table again congratulated the happy couple.

When the last guest had left, Lee shut the door, locked it, and carried his wife upstairs. The couple spent the rest of the night celebrating the happy news in between planning on how to break it to the rest of the family.

The next day, after telling the rest of the family the news, Amanda and Dotty were going about the household chores when Dotty came out of the laundry room holding a piece of paper.

"Amanda, dear, can you read this handwriting? It fell out of Jamie's coat that he wore last night."

Amanda walked over taking the paper from her mother; she instantly recognized her husband's backward left handed penmanship. Her hand covered her mouth as she read the words her husband had written.

 **Rules for dating my wife (and other girls)**

Ask her permission in case she has other plans. Never assume.

Hold open doors for ladies. This goes for car doors as well as any other door.

Hold their arm or back and guide them, allow them to enter buildings first.

Flowers are never a bad idea. Make sure they are not allergic to them.

Get the conversation going by asking about their day or how they are feeling.

The most important thing: anyone worth spending time with is worth listening to. It tends to make the conversation go farther and you will be wonderfully surprised by what you learn.

 **Bring her back as you found her, never change our Amanda**!


End file.
